District News & Press Releases

Sacramento, CA – Dr. Richard Pan, who broke a long-standing barrier himself when he was elected as the first Asian American State Senator to represent the Sacramento region, made the following statement on the passing of Ed Lee, a pioneer in the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) community:

SACRAMENTO – Senate Bill 536, a measure authored by Dr. Richard Pan, to give researchers access to data needed to comprehensively examine firearm violence was signed into law by Governor Jerry Brown.

“The Legislature established the University of California’s Firearm Violence Research Center last year, but they need access to raw data to adequately conduct their research,” said Dr. Richard Pan, a pediatrician and state senator representing the Sacramento region. “SB 536 will provide data so academic researchers can evaluate the effectiveness of policy interventions so that we can better prevent gun deaths.”

SB 536 directs the California Department of Justice to provide information on gun violence restraining orders (GVRO) to researchers affiliated with the University of California’s Firearm Violence Research Center and nonprofit educational institutions or public agencies, upon DOJ approval.

SACRAMENTO – Senate Bill 730 to establish important steps for the California Department of Education (CDE) to comply with the federal Buy American provision in school lunch and breakfast programs, was signed into law by Governor Jerry Brown.